Makar Sankranti
This year it will be celebrated on 14 January and marks the termination of the winter season and the beginning of a new harvest season.
Pongal
- One of the most popular festivals in India is Pongal which is celebrated widely by the Tamil community across the globe.
- As per the Tamil solar calendar, Pongal is celebrated in Tai month.
- It is a four-day event that is dedicated to the Sun God. According to the Gregorian calendar, the Pongal festival will be observed on 14 January 2023.
- It is a four-day festival.
- Therefore, it will be celebrated from 14 January to 17 January 2023.
Shillong to get India’s first centre of excellence for online gaming
- Union government has announced to set up of India’s first centre of excellence for online gaming in Shillong, Meghalaya.
- The CoE will be set up under Digital India Startup Hub through the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).
- The STPI was set up in 1991 as an autonomous society in the field of Science and Technology under the MeitY.
Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the School of Logistics
- Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal and Tripura CM Manik Saha have inaugurated the School of Logistics, Waterways, and Communication in Agartala, Tripura.
- The school will enable the rich pool of talent of the region to become world-class experts in the transportation and logistics sector.
- In order to unlock the promised economic potential of the Northeast, the school will enable the innate capacity of human resources along our opulent waterways
- It has been set up under the State Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (SIPARD), an autonomous body funded by the government of Tripura and MORD.
Meghalaya CM launched an agriculture response vehicle scheme
- Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has launched the shared school bus system, prime tourism vehicles, and agriculture response vehicle scheme.
- The chief minister flagged off shared school buses and hoped that it will help to minimize traffic congestion in Shillong.
- The buses are part of the Sustainable Transport and Efficient Mobility Society (STEMS) programme focused on mobility and overall transportation to decongest the city.
- Agriculture Response Vehicles: Provided to farmers’ associations and groups for a strong transportation network
- Prime tourist vehicles: Step to improve the overall tourism sector, and to provide good transportation services to tourists
Odisha’s steering committee approved a Rs 1,086 crore action plan for 2023-24
- Odisha government’s state-level steering committee for CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management & Planning Authority) has approved an annual plan of Rs 1,086 crore for 2023-24.
- The annual plan of operation (APO) mainly focuses on taking up of plantations and other activities like maintenance of old plantations.
- The plan was approved during a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary S. C. Mohapatra
India’s largest student-run festival ‘Saarang’ conducts at IIT Madras
- Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Annual Cultural Festival Saarang has been conducted completely in physical mode.
- This year is the 28th Edition of the Saarang, which is one of the largest student-run festivals.
- The theme for Saarang 2023 is ‘Mystic Hues’ which celebrates how intertwined colours are with culture and traditions.
- Saarang 2023 featured nearly 100 events between the 11th and 15th of January 2023 and attracted a footfall of over 80,000 from over 500 colleges across the country.
- For this year’s social cause, Saarang launched ‘Panacea’, a campaign surrounding health and hygiene awareness, aimed at encouraging healthy habits to thwart disease breakouts.
